“Filipino National” Among Islamic State Fighters in Ghastly Video

A November 18 post on the Daily Mail Online said a “Filipino national’ is among the Islamic State fighters seen in the ghastly beheading video of American Peter Kassig, a former Army Ranger who was held captive by the group.

The post, which cited the website Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently as source, identified the alleged Filipino as ‘Number 5’ in a photo where Islamic State fighters were seen lining up their captives.

The photo caption read, “Number 5’s: Kurdish sources familiar with the movement of ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq identified this unnamed killer from the latest ISIS beheading video as a Filipino national.”

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc told GMA News Online in a text message that, “The authenticity of the video couldn’t be ascertained. The law enforcement agencies must be consulted.”

Cabunoc maintained that the military is still verifying reports of Islamic State recruitment activities in the country and that security forces were “coordinating with local leaders to prevent ISIS recruitment efforts and join our counter-radicalization campaign in the communities,” the news report said.